First half of first edition of Revolutions de France etc [28th November 1789]

I'll get the second half done asap, I think it's more personal

Revolutions de France et de Brabantno.1

Consummatum est, it is all over. The King is in the Louvre, the National Assembly is in the Tuileries; the circulatory channels have cleared themselves. The market is overflowing, the national funds are refilled, the mills turn, traitors flee, the clergy is overthrown, the aristocracy is breathing its last, the schemes of Monniers and Lally are thwarted and the provinces go hand in hand with no wish to be disunited; the constitution is signed, the patriots are victorious, Paris has escaped bankruptcy, famine and the desolation with which it was threatened; Paris will be the queen of cities, and the glory of the capital will match the majesty and grandeur of the French Empire.

After the defeat of Persia, when Emilus-Paulus descended from his triumphal chariot and entered the temple of Jupiter-Capitoline, a deputy from the towns of Asia, haranguing the senate from the door, addressed him with this speech:

<Romans, you have no more enemies in the universe, now you need only govern the world and take care of it like close friends of the gods>

We can say the same thing to the National Assembly, at present you haveno more enemies, no more opposition, no fear of the veto, now you have only to govern France, to make her happy and to give her such laws as everyone urges, to transplant them and to make them flourish here at home.

Do you imagine, my dear reader that I am going to continue in this vein, wasting my breath in such prolonged tirades? Do not count on it! I am not going to lavish great oratorical movements on you. One edition will appear every eight days; I am only concerned that the octavo should be interesting, and should go from strength to strength, like le Mercure.

The journal will be divided into three sections: Section 1, France; section 2 Brabant, Lieges and any foreign countries which, following the example of France by wearing the cockade and demanding a National Assembly, deserve a place in our pages. Section 3: Under the title, Variety, with the aim of pushing back the boundaries of our empire as far as possible, the Universe and all its follies will be included in the scope of this hypercritical journal.

We recognize the fine order of Chateau-Thierry against the deserters of the National Assembly. We recognize the orders of the Romans, Valence and Saint-Marcellin against the convocation of the Dauphine estates. We recognize the orders of Rennes and Dinan against the veto. We recognize the order of Peronne in the person of the abbe Maury. We recognize the order of Dijon against the refugees who said in their hearts: stir up the provinces against the National Assembly, overturn France and reconstruct despotism on the ruins.

Dijon, Valence, Chateau-Thierry, Lille, Romans, Rennes, Brest and so many other towns who have given signs of your patriotism, how greatly we love you! We will not be divided, we respect our noble assembly, she is not infallible it is true, there is only the Pope and the Liege Almanach who can make that claim.

But she will not fail to give us a good constitution.

First it will be weak, then a bit better, then it will be good and finally nothing more will be needed,

Except for a very few people, such as Maury and Vicomte de Mirabeau, who will die impenitent in their sin, I can tell you that the assembly is purging itself, in plain sight, of bad citizens. M. Thouret, who had wanted to corrupt us, has lent us his talent; he has killed the python and in consequence we have made him president.

D’Epresmenil says no more; would he want to convert and come to his senses? There is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than for ninety nine righteous men. Thouret has almost reconciled me to Normandy although the death of poor Bordier still tugs at my heart, cruelly crucified by the aristocracy.

There are some people here who say: M. Tronchet will never be able to support the idea that feudalism is abolished; M. Camus that there are no more benefices; nor M. Treillard that it will be an end of fiscal affairs. If the publicans, the Pharisees and fiefdoms are suppressed there are three heads which will become like bladders full of wind, in need of pricking. Oh well, we were mistaken. M. Camus let himself be made president by the clergy and after his inauguration, like the others, he buried the hatchet under the roots of a tree; M. Treillard has just declared himselfby his patriotic acts; only M Tronchet has still to declare himself, but that will come.

I burn, my dear subscribers, with the desire to tell you about the incomparable Cordeliers District, but goodwill demands that first I tell you what very remarkable things have happened this week in the pères conscrits assembly.

In Tuesday’s meeting M.Treillard denounced, to the committee, the deliberation of the intermediate commission of Cambresis. In this canton, the intermediate commission saw fit to protest against the renowned decree which placed the wealth of the clergy in the hands of the nation. They suspended the powers of the deputies from Cambresis, as if these deputies, elected by bailliage, could in any way be brought back by the intermediate commission.The National Assembly had to indulgethe endless bursts of laughter from the gods on hearing the threats and blasphemies of these pygmies ascending to the heavens.

My neighbours, the inhabitants of Cateau and Cambresis, have given me permission to announce that they are implacably opposed to the I intermediate commission. No province stands to gain more than they do from the decree, since the clergy are in possession of seventeen twentieths of their land.

Tuesday evening; the denunciation of the Metz Parliament which has committed two crimes: one, of only provisionally registering the decree ordering the prorogation of the Chambres de Vacation, a decree which, in truth, is the forerunner to the suppression of the Chambres; the other [crime] to have stated in a preamble that Louis XVI was not free within his palace in the Tuileries.

Vicomte de Mirabeau rose [this is the brother not Gabriel Honore] ; Gentlemen, he said, I am fully persuaded that the King is free since he says so in his proclamation; but if he were not, could he say anything else?

This malevolent observation was so displeasing that there was a question of suspending the honourable member for six weeks and of withholding his eighteen livres a day, but there was fear of opposition from his creditors.

In his work ‘Caracteres’ Duclos said

<in some societies the roles are cast as in a play; one is a cynic, another is grave, one is a good chap, another sarcastic; one is melancholy, another humorous; a philosopher or a roué; such a one is the buffoon, he hoped at first to play the lead role but found it was already cast. This is precisely the position of our Vicomte de Mirabeau, his brother has only left him the brodequin.>

The Metz Parliament has been commanded to appear at the bar: so about a week after notification we will see the Chambres Messines arrive, with the chief clerk bringing the register.